1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to inner contacts for coaxial cable connectors. More particularly the invention relates to a coaxial connector with an inner contact assembly with a resilient inner conductor end contact configuration that may be reconfigurable for installation upon multiple coaxial cable configurations and/or cable end preparations.
2. Description of Related Art
Coaxial cables of standardized diameter and RF power handling capability may each feature inner conductors of different configurations and/or materials. For example, the inner conductor may be aluminum, copper, copper clad aluminum, and may be solid, hollow, corrugated and/or smooth walled. Further, the inner dimensions of hollow inner conductors may vary significantly, although the inner conductor outer diameter has been standardized.
Coaxial connectors may each be designed for a specific coaxial cable, requiring a manufacturer to design, manufacture and stock a large number of separate coaxial connector models.
Each of the coaxial connector models may also be designed to couple with a specific cable end preparation such as flush cut or protruding inner conductor with specific portions of the insulation between the inner conductor and outer conductor and/or within the hollow inner conductor removed to electrically compensate for impedance discontinuities introduced by the transition between the coaxial cable and the coaxial connector. To prepare these end configurations, an end user may also be required to purchase and maintain a range of different cable/connector combination specific cable end saw guides and insulation coring/striping tools at significant additional expense.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,722,856 discloses an inner contact assembly for a specific hollow inner conductor coaxial cable configuration including a wedge arrangement fixed within the end of the hollow inner conductor by a screw. An inner conductor bellows element crimp connected to the inner contact contacts the end of the wedge arrangement. The inner conductor bellows element provides a longitudinal bias against the wedge arrangement end to absorb potentially degrading effects of cable movement with respect to the connector and/or thermal expansion cycling of the assembly elements. The inner conductor bellows element and numerous individual threaded or otherwise precision machined elements of the inner contact and inner contact assembly may unacceptably increase the connector cost and/or complicate connector manufacture and installation.
Competition within the coaxial cable and connector industry has focused attention upon improving electrical performance as well as reducing manufacturing, materials and installation costs.
Therefore, it is an object of the invention to provide a method and apparatus that overcomes deficiencies in such prior art.